Next week is Palm
Sunday and the remembrance of Jesus entering Jerusalem sitting
on a young donkey. We begin worship this day with what happened
right after that episode, according to the gospel of John.
Listen.

20Now among those who went up to worship at the
festival were some Greeks. 21They came to Philip, who
was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to
see Jesus.” 22Philip went and told Andrew; then
Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23Jesus
answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be
glorified… (pause)

Brothers and
sisters, the hour has come for us to worship. Sisters and
brothers, it is time to glorify God in Jesus Christ together.
Rise in body or spirit and sing: “Hallelujah! What a Savior!”
(#258 in your Hymnal).

God of grace and glory, you welcome us into
your presence.
Here, sorrow and shame
are transformed into “Hallelujah!”
Here, condemnation and ruin
are not the final words.
Here, the old, old story of broken dreams
becomes the new, new song of salvation.
Here, you stand before us
with the open arms of Jesus.
Here, you strengthen with your Spirit
and shed light upon the path ahead.
Thank you, Lord.

Yes, like those who have journeyed before
us,
we wish to see Jesus, also.
You have brought us to this hour
by many hands and hearts -
each a witness along the way.
Some, like Andrew and Philip,
speak to us from the Bible.
Others, like Lois or Izzy,
have been characters in the story of our lives.
They all point in your direction.

Help us this hour to look and to listen
for your Word to be revealed,
in the words that are spoken
as well as in the silence between the lines.
Help us to speak and to sing
and to pray and to simply “be”
in the grace and the glory of your presence.
With hearts united in Christ, amen.

Continuing the Gospel

Leader: Very truly, I tell you,
unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth
and dies,
it remains just a single grain;
but if it dies,
it bears much fruit.
People: Those who love their life lose it,and those who hate their life in this
worldwill keep it for eternal life.
ALL: Whoever serves me must follow me,and where I am,there will my servant be also.

In this
children's message, taken from "Sitting
on the Rainbow," by Ruth Gilmore, the storyteller uses
some vegetable or olive oil to reveal something about sin.
"Have you ever gotten oil on your hands and then tried to
wash it off with water? Does the oil rinse off? No it doesn't come
off with just water, does it? What else do you need to get oil off
your hands? Right: you need soap" (which the storyteller also
has, along with a damp cloth).
Linking to Psalm
51, the rest of the message focuses upon forgiveness,
and how God helps us to come clean - a process of show and tell
with the children, using the oil and letting them feel the
storyteller's hand before and after the soap is then applied... You
need to buy Gilmore's book if you want to read more.

Praying Psalm 51 together

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
and blameless when you pass judgment.
Indeed, I was born in the midst of iniquity;
in the midst of sin my mother conceived me.

You desire truth in the inward being;
therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be purer than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you have no delight in sacrifice;
if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

“While Jesus was here on earth, he
offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the
one who could deliver him out of death. And God heard his
prayers because of his reverence for God. So even though he was
God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In
this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he
became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.”
(Hebrews
5:7-9, New Living Translation)

Please pray with me:

Lord, we thank you for giving
us, in your Son Jesus, someone who fully understands what it’s
like to walk in our shoes. He could have chosen a different way,
but he didn’t. And his path led him to the cross, where he
didn’t just offer some animal or grain to make things right
between your people and you. No, he became the sacrifice - the
lamb slain for the salvation of the world.
God, in the moments that follow we return to you a
portion of what you have first given us. We don’t bring these
offerings to make things right between us and you. Jesus has
already done that. Even so, as we give help us learn how to live
sacrificially - to give of ourselves in ways that glorify Jesus
and you. For you don’t desire only a "portion" of who we are.
You want all. Help us to step into your kingdom promise with
both feet, following "Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our
faith" (Hebrews 12:2). In his name we
pray. Amen.

Will the ushers now come forward to receive our offerings?

Benediction

Go now, to serve Christ and follow him.
Let your old life fall like a grain of wheat into the earth
so that you may bear much fruit
as you allow God to reshape your heart
and live in obedience to the law written within you.

And may God centre you in truth and steady
your spirit.
May Christ renew your joy and strengthen your will.
And may the Spirit teach you God’s hidden wisdom
and fill you with songs of rejoicing.

International Lesson:Adult
Bible Studies
from The United Methodist Publishing House(click "supplemental resources" and "current events supplement"
under both the "Student" and "Teacher" sections in the left hand column)